<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Zutara Month 2020 by Surelybystarlight</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22516267">Zutara Month 2020</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Surelybystarlight/pseuds/Surelybystarlight'>Surelybystarlight</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Avatar: The Last Airbender</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Blutara - Freeform, Dadko, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Letters, Momtara, Partners in Crime, Post-Canon, Steam Baby - Freeform, Zutara, Zutara Month, Zutara Month 2020</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-29 01:21:57</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>7,215</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22516267</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Surelybystarlight/pseuds/Surelybystarlight</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>This is my first attempt at writing fanfiction so no promises. I've got a continuous story going for some of the prompts, they'll have bluelady in the chapter name. Will update tags as I go. May change rating later.</p><p>update 10/26/2020<br/>this is all im going to write for this. The bluelady au is being continued in a separate work and can be found under the name "BlueLady" in my other works.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Blue Spirit/Painted Lady, Katara/Zuko (Avatar)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>51</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. The Blue Spirit and The Painted Lady - BlueLady</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>     Katara lays awake in her sleeping bag listening to the sounds of their camp. Toph is snoring loudly as ever, mercifully muffled by her stone tent. Aang's breathing is a slow faint whisper, much like the wind as he sleeps peacefully across from the fire that has now died down to nothing but faint embers. Despite the silence, Katara can not sleep; the one sound missing is the wheezy snoring of her brother, a sound that she has fallen asleep to without fail every night for as long as she can remember. But tonight Sokka sleeps at master Piandao’s Estate as his apprentice. Logically, she knows he’s safe there, and that training under Piandao is just what he needs to take the next step. They had all agreed this morning that he needed a master- but now, as she tries to sleep without the sound of her brothers breathing for the first time in years, she can’t help but feel restless. Deciding that trying to sleep when she’s so wound up is futile, she quietly climbs out of her sleeping bag, careful not to wake her companions. Digging through her bag for supplies, she dons a loose red robe- tied around the waist with a length of coarse rope, and a wide-brimmed straw hat adorned with a sheer shift to make a veil. To complete her look she kneels by the river bank, dipping her fingers in the damp clay and paints her face in red swirls. As The Painted Lady, she rises and stalks off to the city of Shu Jing.</p><p>~</p><p>     Zuko, angrier than ever (and lost without Iroh’s guidance), falls back on the one thing from his travels that made him feel like the good guy; masquerading as the Blue Spirit. In Ba Sing Se it started as a way to blow off steam and keep in fighting shape. He would stalk through the streets of the lower ring at night, keeping to the shadows but looking for a fight. Usually his prey was local thugs and unruly drunks just thrown out of a bar. He didn’t really care who they were, as long as they could put up a good fight. He never killed or maimed, just incapacitated his victims and moved on.<br/>
     One night when he was on the prowl he heard screaming. Following the source of the noise, he found a woman surrounded by 4 men pawing at her and making crude threats. One of the men had her arms pinned behind her back and held a knife to her throat. The other men were rifling through her clothes, digging through her pockets and letting their hands linger. As he came upon this scene, Zuko knew her found his prey for the night. He’s nearly dispatched the 4 men only using his Dao swords when unbenounced, a 5th joins the fray. Where this warrior came from Zuko does not know, but unlike the others he is most certainly a trained warrior. He is faster, stronger and an earth bender. Caught by surprise, Zuko is outmatched- it is hard to block stone, even with dual swords. Cornered and nearly beaten, he uses fire bending to chase the warrior off.<br/>
     He turns to slip away into the shadows when the woman reaches up from when she fell at the beginning of the fight and grabs his wrist. Adrenaline pumping in his veins Zuko freezes, his instincts tell him to flee- she's seen him bend and he needs to leave quickly before any Dai Lee show up, but he doesn't want to hurt a woman who already had a hard night. He slowly turns to face her, expecting to see fear or anger or even disgust. For a long moment she keeps her grip on his wrist, staring into the dark eyes of the mask until finally both her eyes and her grip soften with gratitude. A quiet “Thank you” whispers past her lips and then The Blue Spirit is gone, already melted into the shadows.<br/>
     From that night on, whenever Zuko prowled the streets as the Blue Spirit looking for trouble, he would look for muggers and attackers- those harming the innocent. He was chasing the feeling he got when he saw gratitude in the eyes of those he protected. Tonight was no different- he told his father he was going to travel the Fire Nation to see the country he had missed for the past 3 years. During the day he would travel the nation in a palanquin with a royal entourage. At night he would slip away from his guards and look to protect his people as the Blue Spirit.</p><p>     Tonight he was in a small town on an island just at the edge of the Fire Nation. Desperately trying to recreate the feeling he felt in Ba Sing Se when he knew he was doing the right thing. As he was slinking through the shadows, looking for anything amiss, he spots a ghostly figure clad in red, enveloped by a personal cloud of fog. He tails them to the local military outpost. He can make out just enough of their figure through the red robe tied off with rope to see that it’s a woman. Though he can’t catch more than a glimpse of her face past her wide hat and veil; only snatches of what looks like swirls of red. Zuko watches as the woman surrounded by mist slips into the compound. He slips in after her, quiet as her unseen shadow. He follows her all the way to the store room, which it appears to take her a little while to find. Watching silently as she gathers a bag full of supplies- dried food, clothes and medicine.<br/>
     When he was younger he would have found stealing from the military an executable offence, but now after everything he has seen and done, he doesn't find it enough to warrant attacking the woman, only enough to make him interested enough to observe a little more. He follows her out, curious where she will lead. Sticking to the rooftops, he hurries after as she makes a bee-line for the worst part of the small town. He watches in awe as she stops before a dilapidated house and pulls out some of the stolen goods from her sack to leave on the doorstep. House after house, she leave a little food here and a fresh set of clothes there, never staying long and always seemingly unaware of her shadow.</p><p>~</p><p>     Katara stops at an old man sleeping on the side of the street. She had almost missed him, he was so still and so quiet. Swirled in red and fog, she kneels by the man and is digging through her bag of contraband when he starts into a fit of coughing so hard it rattles his whole frame. Quickly she drops the bag and draws a small stream of water from her bending pouch around her hands so that she can heal him and soothe his coughs. She finds fluid pooling in his lungs and remembers hearing about such a sickness. As she bends the liquid from his lungs it causes him to heave even harder as he coughs it up. Once he settles down, she rummages in the bag, looking for the medicine she remembers grabbing back at the military storage. Suddenly, behind her she hears the distinct sound of boots scuffing on the ground. She turns slowly to look at the newcomer and sees a brawny man dressed in Fire Nation military issued uniform. Sitting very still, nearly holding her breath, she prays to Tu that she'll go unnoticed under the cover of her fog, wincing when the old man starts coughing again.<br/>
     “Hey you there! Come out where I can see you” calls a rough voice from half a block behind her.<br/>
     Katara bolts, running down the nearest alley freezing a thin sheet of ice behind her from the moisture of the fog she keeps swirling around her. The soldier gives chase, yelling “Stop!” after her and blowing on a whistle around his neck. He slips and falls on the ice Katara left but is soon joined by three other soldiers who help him up.<br/>
     “The thief went that way!” his yell echoes down the alley to Katara.<br/>
     She doesn’t risk a glance back as she keeps running until she finds this alley ends in a dead end with a wall too high for her to climb. If only she had more water on her she could bend herself over the wall. She turns to fight, finding four soldiers advancing on her from the entrance of the dead end. She looks around desperately for something to bend, only having what's left of her bending water after making the fog and healing that man. The soldier from before snarls at her<br/>
     “You match the description of someone seen sneaking away from the military base after ransacking the store room. Stealing from the military is an executable offense.” At this the soldier lights their fist full of flames and take a step closer.<br/>
     Suddenly a fifth figure drops down from the roof above between Katara and the soldiers. She gasps in surprise as the being, covered head to toe in black, turns slightly to look at her, revealing a grinning blue mask staring back at her.</p><p>~</p><p>Continued in Don’t Hurt Her</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Momtara & Dadko</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Firelord Zuko’s ears are ringing, heart pounding a mile a minute, breath already becoming labored. He feels like he’s going to faint so he sits down on his bed, drops really, the thick opulent blankets billowing out around him under the force. The bed dips a little to his left and the weight of another settles next to him. He hears a voice calling his name, it sounds distant at first, becoming more clear with each repeat.</p>
<p>“Zuko? Zuko, did you hear what I said?”</p>
<p>A hand grabs his own, offering a gentle squeeze of comfort. Grounding him in the here and now, pulling him out of his panic.</p>
<p>“Zuko? Are you ok? I thought you would be happy. We talked about this. We’ve been trying for months now. Zuko?”</p>
<p>He turns towards the voice. Blue eyes stare back at him, the corners creased with concern and a hint of anxiety. </p>
<p>“I am happy Katara. At least I will be, I’m just… shocked” </p>
<p>He threads their fingers and squeezes back.</p>
<p>“I know we’ve been planning to have a kid” A sly smile draws up the corner of his mouth as he says, “trying very hard to make one.”</p>
<p>Katara shivers ever so slightly at the memory. His smile drops, as he casts his gaze to the floor </p>
<p>“It’s just... now that it’s real, now that you’re pregnant, I’m scared. The firelord doesn’t have a great history as fathers, what if I turn out to be like my father, I don’t know what a good father looks like. I don’t know how to be a father. What if I hurt them?” His voice breaking at the end</p>
<p>“Oh Zuko, you would never hurt them.” Katara cups his face, thumb tracing over the scar. She gives him a moment to lean in, watches his eyes close and the worry pinching his eyebrows melt away as it always does when she cradles his face. Then she tilts his chin so he’s facing her and waits until he opens his eyes holding her gaze. </p>
<p>“Zuko, you already know how to be a father. I’ve seen you. Do you remember, back at the western air temple, during the war. I remember watching you train Aang. You had such patience. Aang was struggling so much in the beginning, he’d refuse to focus, bouncing around like his over energetic self. Or he’d whine and fuss, about ready to give up whenever something was too hard to just get right away. And Yes, you’d get frustrated; I’d see it building in you, your shoulders tense, your first clenched. I watched you closely, expecting you to snap and hurt Aang, but you never did. Everytime you would be near breaking you'd take this deep breath and just let it out. With it your posture would shift and you’d tell Aang to take a break, divert his attention to something new, something that would hold his focus and wouldn’t be so hard for him. You could have snapped and yelled at him, but you were firm and patient instead, when he was struggling you would keep him for being discouraged. When he was bored, you’d find a way to engage him. Zuko, I need you really listen to me, you are already a better dad than you father ever was.” </p>
<p>With a chuckle and mirth in her voice “and that's back when you were an unbearably grumpy teenage still working on his anger issues.”</p>
<p>“You’re right, thanks Katara I really needed to hear that”</p>
<p>“Of course I’m right, I’m always right” she replied with gentle tone before she gives him a sweet kiss. “And don’t you forget it.”</p>
<p>~</p>
<p>Crown Prince Iroh the second, named for the wisest man in the fire nation (at least according to his father, little Iroh always though Grandpa was silly, but he smelled nice like his tea shop and would sneak Little Iroh sweets se he liked his grandpa all the same.) had just snuck away from his matron. Which is something he’s gotten rather good at at the age of 4. Mommy says he’s like his daddy in this way, but Daddy’s only allowed to teach him the very basics until he's 10. At first mommy was completely against it, but in the end it was a group effort of polar puppy dog eyes that swayed her. </p>
<p>Now Little Iroh is putting his lessons to good use. </p>
<p>“Be like a Cat.” That’s what his daddy always says. “See that palace cat over there, it's sitting calmly a prim. It looks like it doesn't care for the world. But if you watch closely, you can see how it watches its surroundings, ears shifting at every sound. The cat may look at peace, but it is always listening, always aware. You have to be aware of your surroundings. Always keep your ears open.”</p>
<p>Now normally he’d try to be good and not sneak around when he should be napping, but little Iroh has been keeping his ears open and he thinks that today is special. Nobody has told him it’s special, but he’s been listening carefully and watching the people around him. And for the past week everyone has been saying “soon” “any day now” “she’s about ready to pop”. Then this morning mommy started making weird noises at breakfast and suddenly everyone was rushing around.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Oh ho! Looks like its started. Don’t worry little sis, Suki had a much easier time the second time around with Kyo”</p>
<p>“See sweetness, this is why I don’t want to have kids, too much noise right from the start”</p>
<p> Daddy was especially frantic, </p>
<p>“you’re just as bad as you were with little Iroh” </p>
<p>“ha! Agni I hope not”</p>
<p>Then matron showed up out of nowhere like she always does and whisked little Iroh away. So nobody has told him yet, but he’s pretty sure today is the day he becomes a big brother. And he doesn’t want to miss it, uncle Sokka has told him it’s a big responsibility.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>So now he’s using daddy's second lesson of the cat, “Today we will watch a cat as it stalks. See how it moves, low to the ground, you’ve already got an advantage there.” Zuko chuckled “It keeps to the shadows, hugging the walls and slipping from hiding place to hiding place. You have to move like a cat try to blend in and keep to the shadows.” </p>
<p>Little Iroh was currently slinking through the hall of firelords past. This way is a shortcut to his parents chambers. He slips from the shadows cast by each statue. Moving carefully when he hears footsteps approaching from the far end of the hall. Quickly he slips into a nook hidden behind the legs of one of his ancestors. Now it’s time for the third lesson of the cat. </p>
<p>“Today you will both learn from the cat and practice at the same time. See how the cat is sitting there quietly, not moving a muscle. You might think it's zoning out, but look at where it's watching. That is a mouse's hole. It is waiting. And today we will wait too. You must be patient, you must be prepared to be quiet and still for a very long time. I know it’s not as fun as sneaking, but it’s just as important.” </p>
<p>So little Iroh waited and listened from his hiding place, he heard the feet approach, then pass him a ways. Now he was just waiting for the sound of the door on the other side. So he waits and he waits and he waits, but the door never creaks. Thinking that he’s waited long enough and just missed the sound of the door, little Iroh slips out from the hiding spot and starts to slink away. Nothing but the little pitter-patter of his tiny feet. The final lesson of the cat is to walk as quietly as a cat. Not make a single sound as he slips along. Little Iroh has memorized all of the boards that squeak in this hall, but he still hasn’t mastered walking completely silently yet. He is still a toddler after all. </p>
<p>“There you are, I thought I’d heard you sneaking around” Fire Lord Zuko did not look much like a fire lord right now, hair slipping out of his top knot, only wearing his casual robes that he had been wearing at breakfast. “Come on, everyone’s been looking for you. It’s time for you to meet someone special.”</p>
<p>“Is it my little sibling?”</p>
<p>“Well looks like someone has had their cat ears on, yes it is. Come on they are with your mom”</p>
<p>Hand in hand Zuko leads Little Iroh into the converted bed chamber. Surrounding the bed is all of their friends and family. </p>
<p>“Oh she has Zuko’s nose” coos Grandpa Iroh</p>
<p>“Yes but she has my eyes, her mother's eyes” counters Gran Gran “Good strong water tribe eyes” </p>
<p>Little Iroh, weaved through the crowd until he was crawling onto the bed kneeling next to his mother. Fire Lady Katara look even less like a Fire Lady, tired and sweaty. </p>
<p>“Come here sweetheart” she says as she sweeps him into the crook of his arm, a place he settles into so well like its been worn down to fit him over the years. “Meet you little sister”</p>
<p>Little Iroh stared at the little wrinkly thing, skin stained pink, sleeping in the crook of his mother's other arm. “Iroh, say hello to your little Sister, Kya”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Season 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Late 12th month, 100 AG<br/>
Dear Fire Lord Zuko,</p><p> </p><p>    Rebuilding the Southern water tribe is going along better than expected. So much had already changed by the time we got here. The benders from the north have made leaps and bounds in bending strong buildings. With the men finally back from the war we hope to have many newborns come end of next Spring and are building a hospital in expectation.<br/>
    I’m writing to inform you that we will be proposing a formal medical exchange program at the First World Summit in 2 months, at the 6 month mark since the end of the war, in hopes of expanding our knowledge of healing by combining it with the herbal knowledge of the earth kingdom and the surgical knowledge of the fire nation. I am asking for your support of this program. An exchange of professional knowledge will not only be a sign of good faith and respect of other cultures on the fire nation’s part. It will also act as a symbol of the new age we are trying to build, one of mutual healing and support.</p><p>    I know it’s only been 3 months since we last all saw each other in Ba Sing Se, but I miss you and Toph. Suki and Sokka are doing well, with the help of our father, Sokka’s established a council of tribe members over seen by the chief to make decisions. Him and Suki are leaving for Kyoshi Island in a few days, Suki has new recruits to train and Sokka is traveling as “Son of the Chief” to formalize diplomatic ties with Kyoshi Island and Omashu. I think he’s just trying to avoid the days of endless sun coming up. I don’t know how they are going to make it work, but I hope they do. Aang's doing great, trying to be the avatar and mediate every conflict he comes across every chance he gets.<br/>
    Tell me, how are you doing, How’s Mai? How’s Uncle? Has he driven you mad with tea and proverbs yet? Hows Toph? I know things are still rough with her parents. Uncles idea of taking her on as a pledge (word!!) was brilliant. Toph supposedly getting a courtly education in the fire nation pleases her parents, and in exchange she doesn’t have to go back to being sheltered.  </p><p>        Wishing you the best,<br/>
        Master Katara Daughter of the Chief</p><p>(p.s. Still feels weird calling you that but I’ll get used to it.)</p><p> </p><p>Mid 1st month, 101 AG<br/>
Dear Master Katara Daughter of the Chief,</p><p>    I can assure you that you will have the fire nation’s support behind your proposal, I agree an exchange of knowledge and skills will be beneficial for everyone. Water bender healers will be in high demand here once our doctors learn of what you can do. Will you be joining in the exchange? There would be a prime apprenticeship in Caldera hospital and a place for you in the fire palace waiting for you. </p><p>    Things are ok, it’s stressful being firelord. It’s hard to not just yell at everyone, but I have to set a better example than my father. I'm so glad uncle decided to stay as my adviser rather then retire to his tea shop just yet. At this point I’ll take any advice I can get, proverb or not. Toph’s doing great, you know how she is, she doesn’t talk about the painful stuff. She’s been very useful in vetting the staff and nobles for Ozai supporters. She’s kind of become my unofficial bodyguard. She’s even complained that she wished someone would make an attempt on my life just to spice things up. If I didn’t know her better I’d be scared.<br/>
    Mai left on a sabbatical a little while ago, said she needed to find out what makes her happy, not just what she doesn’t hate. I know we weren't going to find happiness with each other. Not after everything we’ve both seen. Last time I was truly happy and at peace was at the summer palace with the whole Gaang. I hope she finds happiness wherever it may be. </p><p>        Hoping you’ve found your happiness,<br/>
        Firelord Zuko</p><p>(p.s. It still feels weird being called that)</p><p> </p><p>Early 2nd month, 101 AG<br/>
Dear Zuko,</p><p>    Why didn’t you tell me Mai left sooner? I know you never really forgave yourself for leaving her at the Boiling Rock, but you deserve to be happy too. You deserve someone who loves you and you love in return. I miss the summer palace too, even though we were preparing for a war, I haven't felt so at peace since. I miss our night time sparring matches, letting off steam. And the day to day routine of our little family. There were moments I could have lived in forever.<br/>
    I mean, I am proud of the work Im doing, rebuilding my tribe is important to me. And being in a position to effect change on the world, to usher in this age of peace is so empowering. Aang wants to start and airbender acolyte program after the World Summit, which is just as important to him. He wants me to join him once the healer exchange program is off the ground. Wants me to become an acolyte and help him “rebuild” the air nomad culture. Maybe I’ll find peace in the air nomad philosophy. I know that it didn’t exactly always work for me in the past, but maybe I’ll understand it better if I study it. I want to be able to be happy at the air temples. The days of endless sun are here, I’m sure I’ll find the idea of Air nomad philosophy more agreeable once I’ve seen the moon in the night sky again. For now, Aang's Air nomad diplomacy is not appropriate for handling midnight sun madness.<br/>
    I know I won’t get your response before I leave for the World Summit, so I’ll see you then.</p><p>        Hoping you find your happiness too,<br/>
        Your friend, Katara</p><p> </p><p>Late 2nd Month, 101 AG<br/>
Dear Katara,</p><p>    I know you wont get this before the World Summit, but I wanted to write you anyway. I am proud of my work, I hope I’ll find fulfillment in bettering the lives of my people. Love is not a given for Firelords, when Mai left my court started looking for suitable candidates for Fire Lady. Their concern is more with stability and producing an heir than ensuring I'm in love. Love was just never in the cards for me, I was never the hero of our story destined to get my girl. You’re lucky to have a chance at happiness with Aang. Even if, as we are both painfully aware, Air nomad philosophy isn’t always applicable, as long as you’re happy with him.<br/>
    And if for some reason you aren't, there will always be a place for you in my country and home.   </p><p>        Alway your friend,<br/>
        Zuko</p><p> </p><p>Early 4th Month, 101 AG<br/>
<strike>Dearest Zuko,<br/>
Dear Fire Lord Zuko,</strike><br/>
Zuko,</p><p>    <strike>The World Summit was very eventful and beneficial for all.</strike><br/>
    I know I said some things after the celebration ball. That certain things happened, but I want to assure you that I will be joining Aang at the Air temples, it’s where I am meant to be. I want to be happy with Aang.</p><p>        Katara</p><p> </p><p>Late 4th Month, 101 AG<br/>
Dearest Katara,</p><p>    I understand, like you said, We aren’t the ones who get our happily ever afters. Just promise me you wont give up your own happiness for the sake of his. I’m not saying you have to come to the Fire nation if you don’t find peace as an Acolyte, just remember you aren’t a prize. Your happiness matters too.</p><p>        Always your friend,<br/>
        Zuko</p><p> </p><p>Late 6th Month, 101 AG<br/>
Dearest Katara,</p><p>    I heard from Ty Lee that you’ve returned to the Southern Tribe to help run the healer exchange program and train new healers. I hope you find your happiness there. I know it couldn’t have been easy to leave the Air Acolytes, but I am proud of you. One of us deserves to find happiness</p><p>        Hoping you find your happiness,<br/>
        your friend, Zuko</p><p>Mid 7th Month, 101 AG<br/>
Dear Zuko,</p><p>    Due to the reluctance of water tribe healers, I have decided to join the healer exchange program and set an example by taking a position in the Fire nation. I will be returning with you to the Fire Nation after the 1 year of Peace Celebration to begin my apprenticeship.<br/>
    I’ve heard you’ve yet to accept or even entertain any of the potential Fire Ladies, I know you said love isn’t in the cards for you, that we aren’t the heros, but you deserve to be happy too. Thank you for your support, I haven't found my happiness yet, but I hope I will soon. </p><p>        Yours Always,<br/>
        Katara</p><p> </p><p>Early 8th Month, 101 AG<br/>
Dearest Katara,</p><p>    I was genuinely happy to read that you’ll be coming back to the Fire Nation with me. Like I promised months ago, there will always be a place for you in my home. I hope you can find your happiness in the Fire Nation. I look forward to seeing you again at the Peace Celebration.</p><p>        Yours Always,<br/>
        Zuko</p><p> </p><p>Early 9th Month, 101 AG<br/>
Dear Master Pakku </p><p>    You would be wise to never doubt the insight of a guardian in the ways of their charges's heart. For no one knows said heart better than the one who watched it form.<br/>
I won the pot, time to pay up old man</p><p>        Better luck next time,<br/>
        General Iroh</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Chapter notes<br/>Zuko and Katara got really drunk during the World Summit ball and ended up sneaking off together to have a heart to heart. They lamented both feeling like they were supporting character. Katara said she felt like she was just supposed to be apart of Aang’s happily ever after regardless of if it was her happily ever after. They end up admitting to each other that their happiest moments were with each other and share a drunken passionate kiss.<br/>Afterwards Katara tries to bite the bullet and make herself happy with Aang at the air temple, but she doesn’t last very long because it really isn’t where she’s happy. She ends up leaving Aang, giving him a speech about needing her own happily ever after.<br/>Zuko and Katara come together for discrete yet passionate love making at the Peace Celebration. They decide to keep their relationship a secret for the time being both to protect Aang's feelings and to avoid court gosip. However, Uncle Iroh figures it out right away, he had a bet with master Pakku since the end of the war when Zuko took the bolt of lightning that the two would end up together.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Don't Hurt Her/Him - BlueLady</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Continuation of the Blue Spirit &amp; the Painted Lady</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>    Zuko watches from his hiding spot on the roof. The lady painted in red and followed by her own cloud of fog is doing something to aid the homeless man, though what he can’t quite tell through the fog. The sound of boots scuffing draws his attention as he spies as a military patrol man. Which is odd, they don’t usually patrol this far from their base. Zuko cringes when the old man starts coughing again. Looks like the woman’s cover is blown.</p>
<p>    “Hey you there! Come out where I can see you.”</p>
<p>    As he expected, the clouded woman bullets and the patrol man gives chase, though he wasn’t expecting the patrol man to slip at the mouth of the ally. Must just be good luck. Though not great luck since he’s soon joined by 3 other soldiers. Zuko gives chase as well, though much more discreetly, hopping from roof to roof. He watches helplessly as the woman runs straight down a dead end, unable to call out to her without risking revealing himself. It looks like she’ll captured and imprisoned when they find the stolen goods on her. A shame really, he had been hoping for a more interesting night, but it looks like tonight he’ll just be a voyeur. He could take the soldiers if he wanted to, but fighting his nation’s own military just to help a woman avoid justice would be crossing a line.</p>
<p>    “You match the description of someone seen sneaking away from the military base after ransacking the store room. Stealing from the military is an executable offense.”</p>
<p>    Zuko knows that tone, this potrol man isn’t interested in justice, he just wants to enact cruelty as revenge for his earlier embarrassment. It’s one thing to stand by and allow justice to take its course, but as Zuko watches the man light his fist full of flames he knows no justice will be served here, only scars on a defenseless woman. That is not something he can just stand by and watch.</p>
<p>~</p>
<p>    The masked man turns back to the 4 soldiers, Sword in each hand reflecting the light of the moon. For a long moment everybody is too surprised to move. Fist still wreathed in flame the soldier growls “get in my way and you’ll get the same treatment as her, she’s guilty of stealing from the military, nobody will bat an eye if we execute you both, Blue Spirit. You’re wanted dead or alive.” The other soldiers all shift into a ready stance, two of them draw a two handed sword while the third brandishes a spear, it seems they are all taking their cue from the firebender.</p>
<p>    The masked man simply tightens his grips and shifts posture ever so slightly, giving no other indication he heard the threat. The Blue Spirit, Katara knows that name, and now that she thinks about it, the mask too. This is the vigilante who saved Aang from Zhao. She may not know him, but if he’s an enemy of the fire nation then she considers him an ally. Careful to not draw attention to herself she draws out what’s left of her bending water. Alone she wouldn’t be able to take them with what amounts to a puddle, but With the Blue Spirit by her side she has hope, and hope is all Katara ever needs.</p>
<p>    Without warning the firebender breaks the tense stillness, firing a ball of flames right at the Blue Spirit. He simply flicks the fire away with a quick movement of one of his swords. The three other soldiers use the momentary distraction to advance, the two swords men flanking the spear man, driving the Blue Spirit back, keeping him on the defensive- desperately parrying their thrusts from one side, then another- without a moment to strike back. Keeping her movements smooth and subtle, Katara makes her own opening, bending her small reserves of water to form a slick spot on the cobblestones; the swordsman to the Blue Spirit’s right steps on it, causing them to falter and their swing to miss. The Blue Spirit presses the opening, using it to maneuver behind them and strike the temple of their skull with the hilt of one of his swords knocking him out cold.</p>
<p>    Having maneuvered so that the spear man is between him and the other swords man he advances. The spear man thrusts only to have his spear head pinned by the Blue Spirits crossed swords. Striking his heal on the shaft he breaks the tip off and advances, keeping the spear deflected with off to one side with his left sword and strikes the spear man with his hilt as well. The moment the spear man drops out of the way the final sword man charges with a falling cut. Which is subsequently deflected leaving him open, which the Blue Spirit presses with a close line leading into a throw.</p>
<p>    Now it’s just down to the last firebending soldier from before who until now stayed back to watch, observing how the masked vigilante fought. The firebender punches a quick succession of blasts, each one aimed closer to his mask than the last. The Blue Spirit uses his speed to dart in quick, trying to close the distance, deflecting the blasts with sweeping motions of his blades. Katara watches, unable to stop him as the soldier side steps and delivers a sharp punch wreathed in flame to the Blue Spirit’s right side, causing him to drop to one knee and let out a growl of pain. As the soldier steps forward to strike the final blow, Katara catches him off guard with a water whip around his ankle causing his foot to slip out from beneath him. Cracking his head on the ground when he falls.</p>
<p>    Katara rushes to the Blue Spirits side where he kneels, one hand cupping his side. “Shit that looked like it hurt, let me see.” she says as she pulls his hands away revealing blistering and charred flesh. “Ok I need to get you somewhere safe, do you think you can stand?”</p>
<p>    The Blue Spirit digs the point of one of his swords into the ground to pull himself up to standing. Katara slots herself under his other arm helping him up and taking on some of his weight. His breathing comes fast and shallow as he rises, Katara feels his heart pounding rapidly through his ribcage. Just before he can straighten he falls slack, his whole weight leaning on Katara. She swears under her breath as she begins to drag him away.</p>
<p>~</p>
<p>    Zuko awakens slowly, his awareness coming back to him in bits and pieces. What stands out to him the most is a feeling of cold, not the fridge cold of ice, but something more soothing lapping against his side. He opens his eyes to an ethereal blue light reflecting off of eyes just as blue drawn tight in concentration and fear. He knows those eyes, her face maybe swirled in red, and the lighting odd, but he would know those haunting blue eyes anywhere. How could he forget when they’ve haunted his dreams wearing an expression of utter betrayal. He knows he should try to capture her, the avatars waterbender, Katara, it’s what a good sun would do. What his father would want of him. But he can’t bear the thought of betraying her again. Cursing himself for what he knows his father would consider weakness. He sucks in a sharp breath when the cool lapping sensation shifts to a new area, bringing with it a deep pain.</p>
<p>    “Ahhh thank Yue, you’re awake! You haven't been out long, only a few minutes. I had to drag you into this abandoned building. We were too exposed out there. Couldn’t risk another patrol finding us or those soldiers waking up.”</p>
<p>    Zuko shifts to pull away from the pain and the ever confusing girl but is stopped by a firm hand placed on his shoulder.</p>
<p>    “Don’t move, I know it hurts but I’m not done healing you yet. Looks like he got you good, punch to the liver and severe burns on your right side. But don’t worry, I’ve patched you up pretty good.” the last of the pain fades and as does the light “There all done, won’t even leave a scar.”</p>
<p>    She stares at him for a long moment, a softness in her eyes that reminds Zuko of a cave lit by crystals.<br/>
    “Thank you for what you did back there, I don’t think I would have been able to take them on my own. At least not when I don’t have anything to defend myself with. I just... thank you, I owe you my life”</p>
<p>    She slowly reaches a hand towards his face. And for a moment Zuko closes his eyes to the whisper of a memory. “It has special properties so I’ve been saving it for something important” He snaps his eyes open, shocked when he realizes she had thought he was important. Katara starts to lift his mask when his hand shoots up to grab her wrist. Stilling her movements.</p>
<p>    “Please, I need to take your mask off. I need to make sure you don’t have any other injuries”</p>
<p>    For a long moment they stay frozen neither moving while Katara waits for his permission. Zuko just stares at her from behind the mask, noting the beauty of how blue her eyes are in this dim light, like the sky just before the sun rises. remembering how betrayal and anger turned them into a storm. Feeling how cool and soothing to the touch her skin is beneath his hand, how he can feel her heart pounding threw her pulse point. He watches her breathing become shallow and her eyes become darker as her pupils dilate.</p>
<p>    “Please” she breathes out, no louder than a soft whine. But still loud enough to break the spell he was under, as quick as a shadow, Zuko slips out from where he lay beneath her. Pausing in the windowsill to turn his head back ever so slightly leaving her with a parting “Thank you” his voice rough with emotion.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Souther Watertribe Culture</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It is tradition in the southern water tribe to ask for the bride's hand durring a fishing trip. Whether this is to make it easier for the father to dispose of the body or not, Zuko is unsure of. He is sure, however, that it was a near impossible feat of political maneuvering; which never would have succeeded without the help of both the Son of the Chief and the Firelord’s most trusted Advisor, to make it possible for the Firelord to be on a fishing trip with the Chief of the Southern Watertribe without any guards present. The irony of the prospect of having the peace he worked so hard from broken over something as simply as a father getting rid of his daughter's suiter is not lost on Zuko as he works up the courage to to take the final step. </p>
<p>He draws out of his pocket a pendent he spent so long carving for Katara. The stone is a merging of several gems fused together by Toph’s bending to create one that's colors fades from red to purple to blue. Carved on the face is a ying yang symbol one section holds the symbol of fire with the spiral in the center cresting into a wave. the other the symbol of water with the crests of the wave spiraling into fire. A balance between the elements, each containing the other in its core. Neither consuming the other. The pendant hangs from a chain of silver and gold woven together, meant to sit low below Katara’s mother's necklace. He has no intention of replacing her family, only to join it. Which is why he now stands on a boat in the Arctic Ocean bundled up to his ears in furs. <br/>“Chief Hakoda Sir,”</p>
<p>“Just call me Hakoda, I think you after everything you’ve earned that much”</p>
<p>“Hakoda Sir, Uh so the thing is, as firelord I can ensure that Katara never has to want for anything, and she is always safe with me. Not that she isn’t safe now, and I guess she wasn’t always safe, back when I was hunting the avatar, not that I would have ever seriously hurt her, I was bad at the time but I had lines I would cross, but I'm not bad now and she’s safe with me now. I would die to protect her, I mean I almost did with the whole jumping in front of lightning for her thing. Not that I'm saying she owes me anything because of it. I would do it again in a heartbeat even if she said no. But I think she’ll say yes, I mean I hope she will. That’s why I’m here now. Because I love her, and she says she loves me too. Which she has to be crazy to love me but she does, And I know that I’ll never be good enough for her, but that means I’ll never stop trying to be better for her. Because she challenges me to be better and do better and I don’t know how I ever managed anything without her. Not that I expect her to take care of me, cause she hates that. No I want to take care of her, not that I think she cant take care of herself, she is so powerful and independent and beautiful and...” </p>
<p>“Alright son, I’m gonna stop you there,” Until now Hakoda had just silently stood there, arms crossed with one eye brow crooked incredulously. Waiting to see if the young man would ever tier himself out. Seeing that he never would he took pity on him “want to give that a second go, only this time try keeping it under 10 words”</p>
<p>Taking a deep breath to fortify himself Zuko gives it a try “I want your blessing before I ask Katara to marry me.” thrusting the pendent out for Hakoda’s inspection.</p>
<p>“That was 11, but I’ll give it to you, that was definitely better than your first try. And your carving skills are far better than your public speaking” </p>
<p>“Thank you Sir” Zuko mumbles out, eyes cast to the ground as he fidgets awkwardly.</p>
<p>“It’s still just Hakoda son, though all things considered I think dad would be appropriate.”</p>
<p>Zuko's eyes shoot up to meet Hakoda, a hopeful smile breaks across his face like a rising sun, hesitance giving way to vibrant glee “Does that mean you give your blessing?”</p>
<p>“Now we both know that Katara will do what she wants regardless of if I approve, but yes son. You have my blessing. Now let’s try to catch some fish, hopefully you haven’t scared them all off.”</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>